Witnesses to the Bad News
The cross comes before any good news
They didn’t want to watch, but they did. They saw it all — the soldiers, the mocking, the inhumane power of the state. They followed to the end.
They witnessed injustice, terror, and murder.
Christians witness to the Good News. We remember the witnesses to the resurrection.
But we don’t often think about witnessing to the horror of the execution. Yet that’s part of the story. All four gospel record the witnesses to that evil:
Many women were also there, looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. (Matthew 27:55-56)
There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem. (Mark 15: 40-41)
But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. (Luke 23:49)
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19:26)
How easy it would have been to not witness. To stay at home. To run away. To hide. Some of the disciples did that. As Jesus was taken to the hill to hang, they denied him and disappeared. Afraid they might be next, I suppose. Not wanting to see the violence. Unwilling or unable to view the trauma of such a murderous death.
But a few continued on. They followed the torturers through the streets. They cried and cried out. They wiped the victim’s face. They carried the cross. They prayed, they probably swore at the soldiers. They wouldn’t turn around. They wouldn’t be dissuaded. They watched. They saw the Roman soldiers laugh during the nailing and the bleeding; ridicule and taunt the victim as his body broke under the midday sun. Yes, the witnesses watched. And they would tell what they saw.
They watched an innocent man killed by a cruel state. To make an example of troublemakers who taught traitorous things like loving one’s neighbor.
Before there were any witnesses to the risen Christ, there were witnesses to Jesus mocked, tortured, and murdered by the Roman empire.
And that’s part of the Christian call of faithfulness — to stand in witness to the brutality, inhumanity, domination, sin, and evil of the empires of this age. Because, before good news, the news can be very, very bad.
Very bad indeed.
Witnesses watch events unfold, even when hearts break. Even when tempted to look away. Witnessing is more than being a bystander, an onlooker. Witnessing is active — it means bearing testimony what one has seen, to provide evidence of the truth of a thing, no matter how shocking, brutal, or inhumane. Witnesses tell a story.
Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander.
— United States Holocaust Museum
But witness. With words. With pictures. With your heart.
Violence is not completely fatal until it ceases to disturb us.
― Thomas Merton
It is very tempting to take the side of the perpetrator. All the perpetrator asks is that the bystander do nothing. He appeals to the universal desire to see, hear, and speak no evil.
The victim, on the contrary, asks the bystander to share the burden of pain. The victim demands action, engagement, and remembering.
― Judith Lewis Herman
There are scores of videos and photos like these across social media from the last few days. People refusing to hide. People watching. People witnessing. And sharing the stories with the world.
I omitted many of the worst. The woman resisting ICE entry to her house, demanding a warrant. Two teen-age boys arrested in a Target. People pulled from their cars screaming and beaten up. Nearly lifeless bodies being carted away to who-knows-where by ICE agents. People begging to be released.
It isn’t one incident, one video. This is an American city. The midwestern heartland. Hundreds of videos. Perhaps even more.
All witnessing.
It is nearly unbearable.
And necessary to watch.
There are no bystanders in life… Our humanity makes us each a part of something greater than ourselves.
―Sonia Sotomayor
Do not turn away. Yes, it hurts. It is shocking. It is traumatic.
You will cry. You will say that you can’t bear any more. I know it is hard. Imagine how hard for the victims. We can’t look away.
We all must witness. Because witnessing the pain turns us from mere bystanders to actors, to be part of the story on the side of victims. To not let the authorities lie about the suffering, violence, and injustice in the streets.
Remember the women at the cross. Remember through the tears. Remember that witnessing the bad news comes before the Good News.
Follow. Bear witness. Testify. Act.
Witness.
Witness.
How Minnesota faith communities are resisting aggressive immigration operations
Witness.
Video from Holly Berkley Fletcher, Washington, DC, January 13, 2026.
You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
— Acts 1:8
Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them.
— Frederick Douglass
POETRY SHELF
We are not responsible for your lost or stolen relatives.
We cannot guarantee your safety if you disobey our instructions.
We do not endorse the causes or claims of people begging for handouts.
We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
Your ticket does not guarantee that we will honor your reservations.
In order to facilitate our procedures, please limit your carrying on.
Before taking off, please extinguish all smoldering resentments.
If you cannot understand English, you will be moved out of the way.
In the event of a loss, you’d better look out for yourself.
Your insurance was cancelled because we can no longer handle
your frightful claims. Our handlers lost your luggage and we
are unable to find the key to your legal case.
You were detained for interrogation because you fit the profile.
You are not presumed to be innocent if the police
have reason to suspect you are carrying a concealed wallet.
It’s not our fault you were born wearing a gang color.
It is not our obligation to inform you of your rights.
Step aside, please, while our officer inspects your bad attitude.
You have no rights we are bound to respect.
Please remain calm, or we can’t be held responsible
for what happens to you.
— Harryette Mullen, “We Are Not Responsible”
This poem was written in 2002.
Give your sorrow all the space and shelter in yourself that is its due, for if everyone bears grief honestly and courageously, the sorrow that now fills the world will abate.
But if you do instead reserve most of the space inside you for hatred and thoughts of revenge — from which new sorrows will be born for others — then sorrow will never cease in this world. And if you have given sorrow the space it demands, then you may truly say: life is beautiful and so rich.
― Etty Hillesum
Last night’s prayer vigil sponsored by the Episcopal church in the US and Minnesota was a powerful witness. The compline service, in my thinking, was so powerful because the prayers were to console the victims and to challenge the perpetrators to be humane and compassionate. The Episcopal bishop of Minnesota gave a powerful reflection calling us to imitate the early followers of the Way who were accused of overthrowing empire. In the back of my mind was a Substack by Randy Woodley reminding us that America has never been a true democracy. This is how I interpreted his message—America has always been a plutocracy masquerading as a democracy so the wealthy white men could amass more wealth. It will take a lot if prayer, witnessing and action to overthrow plutocracy. Follow the $$$. Make God’s vision for the our world and country a reality. Let’s just do it!
Diana!!! I woke up super early this morning ! I looked around for something to read. Before I opened the book I chose, I went to Substack and opened up your words that you posted this morning. This is SUCH an important reminder of who we need to be in this brutal government assault of our families, our neighbors. It is also a reminder of Christ’s suffering when many were silent as they followed Him to the cross! That reminder does bring strong messages to ACT, to NOT be silent and it also does bring the hope that even with “the bad news” good news can follow!!! Thank you for the quotes you chose and for this message of “Do not be silent!” And also of Hope!!!!!